Time for a Change
by Ribbonsandroses42
Summary: Kyoya and Haruhi were doing great for a while, but their marrige seems to have hit a bit of a rough patch. Maybe with the help of those around them they will be able to move forward.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Ouran Highschool Host Club.

Ch.1

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Haruhi kicked the covers off of her legs with a huff and wiped the sweat from her forehead. The room was stuffy and uncomfortable. She already knew from the stillness in the air and the lack of noise that her husband wasn't here. He never was. The heat was putting a damper on her mood as well. The alarm hadn't gone off yet which meant that she would be starting her day early yet again. Alone.

Kyoya usually worked until three in the morning if they really needed him at work. If not, he was home by midnight. He worked at his family's main hospital downtown. All three of them lived in a nice cottage just outside of town. It had been a shock when Kyoya had bought the house for her. He had talked for the longest time about inheriting the vacation home on the beach. It was nice and all, but too high end for Haruhi. The morning after their wedding, he'd driven her here.

She left her room to go turn on the air. Kyoya hated the cold and would turn it off whenever he felt like it. He must have come home for a change of clothes or food and left without saying anything. Typical. Her feet stuck to the hardwood floor with every step as she made her way down the hall to turn the air back on. Haruhi was too hot and annoyed to go back to bed. Instead, she headed down to the kitchen to make breakfast. Despite them living in a cottage, it had incredibly expensive appliances. She got to work on a batch of pancakes and was just about to pour the batter when a little voice called from upstairs.

"Mommy! Mommy it's hot."

Haruhi set down the bowl and wiped her hands on a towel before heading to her daughter's room. Maia was five years old. Just like her daddy she was incredibly smart, but like her mother, she loved music. She had straight brown hair like Haruhi's and big chocolate eyes too, but when she was upset, her expression could murder that of Kyoya's. Her vision was also starting to get poor so she needed glasses.

Maia was sitting up in her bed when Haruhi came in. Her hair was a mess and stuck to her temples. She already had her glasses on her face, but they were sitting on the edge of her nose just like her father. She walked over to her and pushed them up.

"Mommy, I'm hot."

Haruhi smoothed Maia's hair down and tried to hide her annoyance at Kyoya," I know sweetheart. Daddy turned the air off last night."

"Why?"

"Because he's a sel… Because he was too cold. Do you want some pancakes?"

Maia smiled," Yay!"

They went downstairs and Haruhi finished making the pancakes. Maia was sitting at the table waiting for her. Haruhi sat the stack between them and put a pancake on Maia's plate. Maia was a picky eater, but she absolutely loved pancakes. As she was cutting it up for her daughter, Kyoya walked in. Haruhi couldn't stop the cold tingle that ran down her spine.

Maia jumped up from the table and ran over to him," Daddy!"

He picked her up and swung her around," Maia, how's my special girl!"

"Mommy and me are having pancakes for breakfast. You can have some too."

Kyoya glanced at Haruhi and his smile faltered. He shrugged and sat down his coat and briefcase before coming to the table.

Haruhi continued to eat her pancakes and Maia hers. She made Kyoya go and get his own plate and utensils. Haruhi took a swig of orange juice and sat down her fork. She thought she'd be able to hold her tongue longer, but it wasn't working this time. Oh well.

"So Kyoya, it's nice of you to see your daughter today. I mean, yesterday you weren't here to take her to school, pick her up, or put her to bed. I didn't think we'd see you today either. I had to call off so that someone would be able to take care of her. How's work?"

"You know that's not fair. My group had a breakthrough yesterday. I couldn't just abandon them."

"The same way you abandoned us? The same way you abandoned Maia?"

Maia had stopped eating and was watching them at the mention of her name.

"You're being ridiculous Haruhi. I didn't abandon Maia or you. I was only gone for one day."

"Do you know how many times in the last year that you've been gone for just one day? 78 days Kyoya. 78."

Kyoya looked at Maia who was close to tears and whimpering," See what you did Haruhi. Maia's upset now. I'm going to have to take her to school with her like this now and her teacher is going to give me a dirty look."

"She's not upset because of me. She's upset because you're never around to show that you love her and who cares about the dirty looks from the teacher," Haruhi turned to Maia," go get some clothes out Maia. You need to get ready for school."

Maia looked at her and Kyoya before bolting from the table. Haruhi was so angry she could scream. The anger manifested itself into hot tears.

Kyoya reached out to touch her, "Don't cry Haruhi. I…"

"Stop it Kyoya! I'm just so sick of this. You're never here and I don't… I miss how we were. Maia misses you too. She wakes up sometimes and asks for you and I have to tell her that daddy is still working. Or I have to force her to eat at dinner or breakfast because she's waiting for you and won't eat until you can eat with her. She's developing some terrifying eating habits that are affecting her health. You would know that if you were home."

"I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't know! You're never here!"

"Well what can I do? I love you Haruhi."

"I have a performance this Saturday at the music hall and Maia has a show at school Friday night. Try to be there for her at least."

"I'll be there, Haruhi. I promise."


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.

 **Sorry I've been slow on the update. I've been very busy. It also isn't very long.**

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Ch. 2

The week passed slowly for Haruhi, but Kyoya continued to keep his promise. He was home in time for dinner or a little later and he took Maia to school on his way to work. Haruhi was able to get to Ouran High School on time to teach and could pick Maia up on her way home. That way, Maia saw both of her parents daily. Kyoya also did a little more. He'd call on his break just to tell her that he loved her or to check up on her. He'd get up early to cook the family breakfast and read to Maia at night. This was lovely and all, but Haruhi couldn't help but feel like this wasn't going to last. She didn't want to get her hopes up.

When Haruhi returned home Thursday afternoon with Maia, Kyoya was sitting athe kitchen table waiting for them.

"What are you doing home so early?" Haruhi questioned.

"It's kind of a long story, but Tamaki called and asked if the former club members would be able to get together tonight for dinner. So far, no one is able to make it, but I think you should go. I came home to watch my daughter while you go out. I don't see her enough."

Haruhi was quiet for a moment. She couldn't believe that he had actually admitted it.

"That's nice, but wouldn't it be kind of weird with just me and Tamaki going out?"

"Not at all. You guys used to be great friends and I know none of us have really talked in a while, especially you two."

"I know that, but we also used to date, Kyoya."

"I know. I trust you."

"It's not me that you should worry about trusting," she thought to herself.

Later that afternoon when Kyoya too Maia to the park, Haruhi went to meet Tamaki at a restaurant. The restaurant was quiet and even though it was filled with people. It was elegantly decorated and the dim lighting was relaxing. Classical violin drifted down from the hidden speakers. She expected nothing less of a restaurant chosen by her former classmate. She spotted him sitting in a booth near the back alone.

She made her way to him and sat across from him, startling him.

"Oh gosh Haruhi, I didn't recognize you at first!"

She blushed," It's been a while Tamaki."

She'd always felt out of place in places like this, around people like him.

His eyebrows furrowed," I didn't mean anything bad by that. I meant that you look beautiful, radiant even. You grew your hair out too. It looks nice."

It was true. She had grown her hair long since high school. It was halfway down her back now.

"Thank you."

Tamaki cleared his throat," So what are you up to now? I only talked to Kyoya for a second."

"Well, I teach at Ouran. I compose in my free time. I have a daughter. Her name is Maia."

He looked shocked," That's awesome Haruhi! How old is your daughter? I bet she looks just as beautiful and is just as smart as you."

"She's five years old and I guess she's a nice mix of me and Kyoya."

"I think it's great that you teach at Ouran. There were so many great memories there with the Host Club. What do you teach?"

"Piano."

He was quiet and his mouth hung open slightly.

A huge smile stretched across his face," That's amazing."

Tamaki had taught her to play the piano near the end of high school and through most of college while they were dating. Then they had split ways. If it wasn't for Tamaki, she wasn't sure what career path she would be on right now.

"Well, I owe a great deal of my success to you. As a matter of fact, there is a concert this Saturday at the Ouran music hall for alumni performances. I'll be playing an original composition."

"I got my card in the mail, but I won't be performing. I haven't prepared anything. I'll be there to watch though."

Haruhi took a sip of water," Kyoya will be there. Maybe you guys can sit together."


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry I've been away for so long. A lot has happened. I don't own anything from Ouran Highschool Host Club.

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Ch.3

Haruhi looked Tamaki over as he studied his menu. He had barely changed since she last saw him. His beautiful, slightly too long golden hair lacked any signs of grey or damage and his skin, tan and free from blemishes, shone under the lights. His strikingly blue eyes, shielded by thick lashes, contained flecks of green she'd never noticed before and moved back and forth over the menu. As she was admiring them, they flicked up, meeting her own eyes and startling her. Something about his eyes tugged at her heart.

"What are you getting Haruhi? I have no idea what I want."

"Um, probably the Spaghetti. It looks really good in the picture by it."

He laughed under his breath.

She leaned forward, cocking her head a bit," What is it? What did I say?"

"It's just… Your order is so frugal and… it has carbs! Do you know how long it's been since I've been out with a woman who ordered something inexpensive or that wasn't a friggin salad?"

Her cheeks burned. She wasn't sure if it was because she hated the thought of him out with other women or if it was because he'd called her out on being cheap or eating carbs? She'd ordered expensive things in restaurants before when she'd gone out with Kyoya, but when she was younger, they hadn't had much money. She knew the value of a dollar.

He saw her blush," I didn't mean anything by that, Haruhi. It's just that I've gone out with a lot of women who ended up just using me for my money or who cared too much about the way they looked to enjoy the date."

She huffed again and crossed her arms," Are you trying to say that I don't care about the way I look?"

"NO! You look gorgeous. I'm really putting my foot in my mouth, aren't I? Let's just talk about something else?"

She raised her eyebrows," Okay, I'll start. What are you doing now?"

He'd went on to get a master's degree in business administration after they'd graduated together and then split up.

"Well I'm working for Apple right now. We're working on a new project that I can't tell you anything about, other than it pays well and I love my job," he made finger guns and she couldn't help laughing. He'd barely changed.

Tamaki rested his chin on his fist, "My turn. I have a couple of question."

"Shoot then."

He made finger guns again, making her laugh," Kyoya told me you all are living in a cottage he bought just outside of town. That doesn't sound like something Kyoya would do."

"Kyoya was raised completely different from the way I was raised. My whole life, I lived in an apartment. We only bought what we could afford and we saved our money for if we needed it in the future. Kyoya wanted to give me the house on the beach as wedding present, but it was just too much. It was all glass and chrome and more rooms than I knew what to do with. It was so big that it felt a little lonely. I wanted a place that felt like home and Kyoya must have been listening very closely because he surprised me with the cottage the morning after the wedding."

Tamaki whistled," He must really love you."

"Yeah. Sometimes he has a hard time showing it though," She looked down at her hands, twirling her wedding ring."

"I'm sorry to hear that, but it sounds like Kyoya alright. What about family? I know Kyoya really wanted a boy at first and his father was a little apprehensive about the union between you two."

"Oh wow, yeah. We hadn't been trying for a child after we were married, but it just sort of happened. I will never call Maia an accident though. Any child born, was meant to be and we love Maia with all of our hearts, especially Kyoya. She loves him too. She's a real daddy's girl. When we found out that I was pregnant, Kyoya hoped that it would be a boy. In his family, a boy inherits the company. If something were to happen to his older brothers and he became the CEO, he would need an heir. I just wanted a healthy baby. And the thing with his father… His father knew that my family didn't have much money, we didn't have any claim to anything, no stocks; he wanted Kyoya to marry a girl who could add to the business and I wasn't that girl. He came around eventually. Now he and Ranka go out for drinks regularly."

"That's something. It looks like you've had a very positive influence on the Ootori family. Unlike the other girls…"

She was going to ask what he meant about the other girls when the waiter arrived to take their order. When the waiter went away, she stared him down.

"What?" he asked.

"What other girls? You were saying something, but then stopped."

She wasn't stupid. She knew that Kyoya had dated other women, but that was in the past. Everyone dates someone.

"Well Kyoya's family has been known to chase a girl off or bribe her to leave if they don't think she's a good fit. It happened to all of his previous girlfriends and I was surprised it didn't happen to you. Kyoya knows all about it. He let it happen to appease his father. Family is the most important thing to him."

"Kyoya never said anything about that! That's horrible. I love his respect for family, but that's a bit much."

"I thought he'd told you, which was why I'd mentioned it. Please don't be upset with him. I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, you're fine, but I definitely need to have a word with him when I get home."

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	4. Chapter 4

I don't own Ouran Highschool Host Club. This chapter is short and fluffy.

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Ch.4

"When were you going to tell me about the other girls?" Haruhi stood in the kitchen, still in her heels and dinner dress, drying dishes that Kyoya had just finished washing. She was too wired and buzzed to sit.

Kyoya had sent an UBER to come and pick her up after she'd texted him during dinner, telling him that she was drinking. She'd left her car at the restaurant and a friend of Kyoya's was going to pick it up. He'd welcomed her in the house with open arms, but she'd walked right past him. Talk about a cold shoulder.

Kyoya leaned against the counter next to her with his arms crossed and confusion etched in every line of his face, "What girls, Haruhi? I don't know what you're talking about."

She started to yell but remembered that Maia was asleep," The ones your family got rid of because they didn't make good business partners. Tamaki told me all about it."

Kyoya just shrugged," I didn't think it mattered enough to tell you. They were just old girlfriends. Why were you talking to Tamaki about that anyway?"

"NO, I'm the one asking the questions here. What do you mean it didn't matter? Didn't you love them? Did you even fight for them?"

"I loved them until I could see it not working anymore. That's how relationships work. Haruhi. They don't matter because I found you. You and Maia are all that matter to me."

He hugged her around the waste and she let it happen, resting her wrists on the edge of the sink," Did you fight for me Kyoya when your father wouldn't acknowledge me or did you sit back and wait to see how I would turn out?"

"I fought for you, love. Very hard. He threatened to disown me. He gave me money to give to you so that you would leave, but I put it back in his hand and told him that if you left so would I. I didn't feel anything nearly as strong as I do for you with those other girls. I love you, Haruhi, truly."

She put everything down in the dish rack, turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck," I love you too Kyoya. That's all I wanted to hear."

"We should go to bed. It's late. We both have to work tomorrow," Kyoya said pulling her toward the stairs.

"Let me finish these first," she gestured toward what was left in the dish rack," I'll meet you upstairs."

"Suit yourself. What day is Maia's performance again?"

"Friday at 6:00 p.m and mine is Saturday at 7:00p.m."

She looked towards him, but he was already gone. Sighing deeply, Haruhi kicked off her heels and stared at her wedding ring, but only for a second, trying to understand what marriage actually meant to her and what Kyoya thought it meant.

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	5. Chapter 5

Ch.5

Haruhi crouched down to smooth the fly-aways of Maia's hair. She'd volunteered as a stage mom for her daughter's show. It was kind of cute, all the kindergartners running around the holding area in their freshly pressed choir robes. There were a few boys in the corner refusing to put theirs on until the very last second because they "looked like dresses". Maia was practicing her solo with the teacher. Haruhi couldn't help but smile. At that age, Haruhi had been the shiest little thing. She barely spoke. Maia was the total opposite of that. She had confidence.

Haruhi glanced at her watch. The show would be starting soon. It was 5:56. She felt it in her heart that Kyoya was there. After the show, Maia would run up to him with open arms, take the flowers he'd offer her, and be lifted into the air in a giant hug. That's all Haruhi wanted for Maia, for her to feel loved. The stage manager poked her head in the door and the stage moms began wrangling children to lead them to the stage. Maia turned around from the front of the line to look at Haruhi, beaming. That child was really something.

After the performance ended, they raced to the lobby to meet Kyoya, but he was nowhere to be found. They waited an extra half hour until nearly everyone else was gone, but there was still no Kyoya. He wasn't there and he hadn't seen the performance either. Maia had fallen asleep on a bench against the wall. Haruhi angrily yanked her phone from her purse and dialed Kyoya's number. There was no answer, not even a ring. The line went to voicemail before the first ring. Haruhi picked up the still sleeping Maia and took her home, tucking her into bed. Haruhi waited at the kitchen table for Kyoya, but he didn't come home.

She woke at dawn still in the clothes she was wearing the day before. A small puddle of drool had formed where her head was resting. She was confused as to why she was sleeping at the table when she remembered Kyoya. She bolted upright and raced to their shared bedroom. She flung open the door. The bed was perfectly made still. No one had slept in it. Kyoya didn't come home. Haruhi suddenly felt very hot. Sweat began to bead on her forehead. Her heart was racing. She swallowed hard. Kyoya may have been late in the past, but he always came home before dawn. Her hands shook as she picked up the house phone off the nightstand. She could barely dial the number to his workplace.

It rang twice before a young woman answered.

Her voice was quiet yet solid," Ootori Medical, this is Lana speaking, how may I help you?"

"Y..yes, this is Haruhi Ootori. I'm looking for my husband. He didn't come home last night."

The line buzzed as she was put on hold.

"I'm sorry Ms. Ootori, I have not seen your husband. I left at 3 yesterday and my shift started at 7 this morning. I tried calling his office and the lab. If I see him, I will give you a call. Is this number a good one for you?"

"Actually, my cell phone would be better. It should be on file."

"Ah ha, I found it. Have a wonderful day ma'am."

"yeah..."

The line went dead as Maia called for Kyoya from the next room.


End file.
